


Senior Year

by CJMartinnn, meowitskatmofo



Series: OGNY: On The Verge [1]
Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, Gordlock - Freeform, M/M, Nygmobblepot, Relijah, Smut, Teenage Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-15
Updated: 2017-01-15
Packaged: 2018-09-17 02:10:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9299453
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CJMartinnn/pseuds/CJMartinnn, https://archiveofourown.org/users/meowitskatmofo/pseuds/meowitskatmofo
Summary: The first day of their senior year becomes one that neither Reed Gordon or Elijah Cobblepot will ever be able to forget.





	1. Class Is In Session

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a new kid at school and Reed Gordon is immediately curious. Against his better judgment, he decides to try and make friends.

First day back at school, Gotham High.

Reed Gordon was so very ready. It was his senior year, guaranteed to have another great season with the football team, and he was more than prepared for the challenge to make his fathers proud; one father in particular. Rescued from foster care when his sister got adopted by a top notch detective in the GCPD, Reed had gone from a lost system kid to a legit beloved child in an adoring family. Well, not completely legit. His twin sister Ivy always had a way with botanical endeavors and the gift seemed to be genetic. They had grown and perfected their own strain of marijuana back in middle school, unbeknownst to their adoptive parents; Ivy urging him all the while to make a few bucks without Dad and Pops being none the wiser. Reed went along with the scheme for years, as was his way, following his sister's lead.

But this year was going to be different. Reed knew his grades were decent, but he would have to have a hell of a sports scholarship to get into college, something both of his fathers insisted on. No more drugs, no more drama, no more sneaking around. He was going to be completely on the straight and narrow, he had decided. As he walked up the front steps of the school, waving goodbye to his parents after they dropped him and his sister off, he stopped to greet all the familiar faces. He was much beloved by the masses, blessed with handsome features and the same beautiful blazing red hair as his sister; equally attractive and good natured. Regardless of their station or clique, all the students loved Reed. He and Ivy, especially with her being a cheerleader and the main dope dealer at GH, were two of the most popular kids at school. School life was pleasant for Reed, if not a bit lonely.

There were always girls, and guys, fussing for his attention. Always had been. But they all left him wanting. He saw the way his dads were together, especially when they thought he and Ivy weren't looking, that beautiful spark they had between them that was so pure and loving. That's what Reed wanted and he hadn't met anyone yet that made him feel even close to that. He adjusted his backpack, looking over as Ivy made her usual rounds to say hello to everyone, wondering if this year would be different. 

Maybe this year he would meet someone.

In the meantime, he had so much more to worry about, like focusing on sports and keeping his grades up so he could get into college. All of that was running through his mind as he watched his sister chat away with some of her fellow cheerleader pals. His attention, however, was redirected when he saw a long black limo pulling up in front of the school. He stared for a moment, wondering who it could be. Hell of a first impression, whoever it was. 

Public school. Two words Elijah Cobblepot had been dreading the entire summer. Ever since his doting and devoted fathers snatched him up out of the ever so wonderful Gotham foster care system, Elijah had lived a pretty cushy life. There was never a time he wanted for anything. He went to the best private schools in the city and generally was able to get away with whatever he wanted. But now, he had no choice but to go Gotham High, something to do with Oswald being the mayor and good press and reelection. Blah, blah, blah. He didn't care. They may as well have told him they were shipping him off to Arkham.

He was a miserable little shit the entire drive over to the school, swatting at his father's hands as he did his usual fussing, attempting to smooth out the sleeves of his jacket. As the limo pulled up to the school, Elijah was a particularly cold. He didn't give much more than a 'bye' before getting out of the car and slamming the door behind him. He glanced around, pushing his dark hair back away from his face as he looked over the mass of teenagers greeting old friends and making their way across the campus.

Elijah was much like his fathers, in somehow looks and personality alike. He was a tall, lanky thing with razor sharp cheekbones like Edward, with bright blue eyes and dark black hair that seemed to have a mind of its own like Oswald. And just like the both of them, making genuine friends wasn't really his forte. How could it be? He was better than everyone he met in every sense, something instilled in him from the moment he had been brought home. He was a fucking Cobblepot.

He let out a long sigh, rolling his eyes and making his way towards the doors of the building. May as well get this over with. His blood was boiling as people bumped into him, his resting bitch face strong as he did his best not to just lash out. He had promised to not make any sort of scene and only to push someone down the stairs or break an arm when no one was around.

Elijah paused a moment when he saw a familiar looking face, a rather good looking ginger. Jim Gordon's kid. He had seen a picture once or twice, blackmail was always a good thing to have after all. Though the pictures certainly hadn't done him justice, he was a handsome little thing. He smirked a bit, shaking his head and going on his way. No need to make nice with the cops' kid just yet.

Reed couldn't help but stare; who showed up to school in a damn limo anyway? And what a vision this kid was. The very look of him was alienating; such a stunning creature clearly didn't belong here. He realized his heart was beating really fast, taking in those sharp eyes and stern face. Reed thought he may have caught the guy's eye for a second, smiling brightly. Ever so friendly, Reed excused himself from the popular circle, cutting through his fellow students until he popped up right in front of the new kid. 

Ivy hadn't been paying attention until it was too late, eyes wide as saucers and muttering, "Oh, shit." The limo, the clothes, she knew exactly who that was. And her darling baby brother was bumbling right into the eye of the storm.

Reed grinned, extending his hand, saying. "Hey, new guy! I'm Reed Gordon! Or you, know, Pepper, some people call me that, whatever. My sister is Ivy Pepper, my fellow ginger over there." He waved over at his sibling, quirking an eyebrow as she was shaking her head at him and mouthing the word 'no' over and over. He ignored her, turning his attention back to the new kid. Wow. He was really handsome. Those pretty eyes, piercing and hypnotic, those sweet little lips. Even when the kid didn't take his hand to shake, Reed didn't miss a beat. He tried not to seem too eager, laughing, "Okay, first day jitters, I feel you. Hey! That's a hell of a way to come to school, nice ride you got there! Welcome to Gotham High!"

Elijah stopped when suddenly the ginger had placed himself right in his path. He stared at him for a moment when he had extended his hand, tilting his head almost curiously. He was an eager little thing, wasn't he? "I know who you are," he replied simply, looking him over and sizing him up. Poor little ginger had no idea what he was getting himself into. Elijah weighed his options, trying to decide if he should just walk away or maybe play nice for once in his life. "You are quite the chatterbox, aren't you?" Mean always won out that debate.

"Yeah, sorry," Reed said sheepishly. "My pop says I've got the gift of gab, but everybody wants a receipt to send it back and exchange it for a toaster! I get a little chatty sometimes... And... Wait. You know who I am?" Confusion crossed over Reed's fine features, trying to process everything. "Who are you?"

"Elijah. Cobblepot," he introduced himself with a little smirk. Surely that would be enough to send him running, right? If he was Jim Gordon's kid, surely he knew exactly who his family was and that they were not the kind of people the son of a cop would want to get tangled up with, right? He glanced over at Reed's sister, knowing immediately she knew exactly who he was. Elijah was certainly already following in his fathers' footsteps, shaping up to be quite the little criminal.

Once Reed heard the name, all the little pieces suddenly fell into place. He'd heard enough stories from his parents, a few out loud and some behind closed doors, to know the name Cobblepot. He should have turned around and tucked tail back to his little group of friends.

But Reed was stubborn, something he'd learned from both of his fathers. And he was only more intrigued. He slid a hand back through his bright hair, still smiling, saying excitedly, "Cobblepot. So, you're the mayor's kid! Wow. That must be wicked fucking cool! It must really feel like you're slumming it down here in public school, huh? It's really not that bad, you know!" Reed shrugged, trying to ignore all the desperate looks his sibling was casting his way. "I could show you around if you'd like, give you the grand tour and all that. Maybe we'll have home room together."

Reed bit at his lower lip, still gawking unabashedly. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew this kid was trouble. He knew that his parents, the mayor Oswald Cobblepot and his husband Edward Nygma, were corrupt with a long and nasty history of violence. He didn't know many details, but he knew that his dads had had many twisted adventures dealing with them and if he had any sense, he would walk away. Besides, all of that stuff was a long time ago, right? It only made Elijah all that much more exciting, attractive even. He just couldn't stop himself.

Elijah had to admit, he was a little surprised when the mention of his surname didn't seem to deter Reed one bit. He was going to be quite the interesting little puzzle to figure out, wasn't he? Elijah did love puzzles. He quirked an eyebrow, shoving his hands in his jacket pockets as he rolled his eyes. "You have no idea how much it feels like slumming it here," he replied dryly. He weighed his options again, deciding it would probably be easier to have someone show him around and while Reed was bordering on obnoxiously cheerful, at least he would have something nice to look at while he was looking around the school. "I suppose you could show me around."

Elijah couldn't help but notice the eyes on them, especially from Reed's sister, glaring daggers in return. His eyes flicked back to Reed, falling to his lips a moment. Yup, he was definitely gorgeous. There were worse things than having something so damn stunning show him around that awful, awful public school. When another person bumped into him, Elijah tensed up, gritting his teeth. "Let's just go. Like now please. If one more person walks into me, I'm going to snap their neck." Elijah was serious as a heart attack.

"Sure thing!" Reed narrowed his eyes at the student who had bumped into Elijah, yelling after him, "Yeah, 'cause some of the students here are real _assholes_!" He shook his head, nodding for his new friend to follow him. "Sorry about that. Some serious pricks around here. Come on."

Gotham High was like any other high school, except maybe a bit shittier. It was in constant need of repair, buckets here and there on the hallway floor to catch a leak from the ceiling, one of the boy's bathrooms was blocked off from where part of the tiles had collapsed in, and there always seemed to be a sour smell no matter how well the custodians cleaned.

Reed was giving Elijah quite the tour, having to stop and greet people along the way. Popular kid problems. He showed him the classrooms, the cafeteria, the locker room. He knew that the bell for first period episode would ring soon, but he didn't care. He wanted to stay with Elijah a little bit longer.

Elijah followed Reed along, trying his very best to hide the horror on his face at the dismal conditions of the school, certainly not like anything he was used to. He didn't say much of anything while Reed stopped to greet other students, standing awkwardly to the side. He had zero interest in talking to any of them, Reed was at least... interesting.

Reed was leading him out towards the football field, at least as far as to the bleachers. Elijah was grateful to leave the building, in no rush to spend his time in there. This was going to be literal hell. Well, at least there was eye candy; Reed wasn't the worst person in the world to be stuck looking at. 

Reed stepped over one of the struts, ducking underneath them and smiling wide. "This is one of my favorite hiding spots." He reached into his pocket, sneaking out a cigarette from the pack he'd swiped from his Pop earlier that morning. He lit it, inhaling deep and blowing out a few little lazy smoke rings. 

Elijah couldn't help but snort when Reed pulled out a cigarette, raising an eyebrow curiously. "Aren't your dads cops?" he laughed, shaking his head and actually cracking a smile. 

"Yup! My Dad is the GCPD Commissioner! Or you know, he will be in a few weeks when the promotion goes through. And my Pops is a detective, too. Pops is always losing his smokes, so he never notices if I swipe 'em from time to time." Reed smirked, offering Elijah a hand to help him over the beam to join him. Wow, did this kid have a beautiful smile. It completely lit up his whole face. Cute laugh, too.

Elijah looked at Reed's hand for a moment when he extended it, perfectly capable of climbing over the beam by himself, but he decided to take his hand anyway and climbed over to join him. It was almost endearing, albeit a little irritating, that Reed seemed so innocent. Something like swiping his Pops' smokes seemed like the extent of his healthy teenage rebellion. How cute. But there was something about his company that made this school feel slightly less like a death sentence, so there was that at least.

Elijah's hand felt really warm in Reed's, enjoying the contact no matter how brief. It made Reed's beat a little faster, but he couldn't quite say why.

In the process of climbing over the beam, Elijah managed to snag Reed's cigarettes out of his pocket. Pickpocketing was a good skill to have. He pulled a cigarette and lighter from the pack and lit it up, taking a long drag as he handed the pack back to Reed with a little smirk.

Reed burst out into laughter when Elijah handed him back his own cigarettes. "You damn sneak! That was good, I didn't even feel a thing!"

Reed's laugh gave Elijah a bit of a fluttering feeling in the pit of his stomach. That was new. He shrugged his shoulders, smirking as he toyed mindlessly with a rock by his foot as he smoked. "Ten bucks says I can do it again while you're expecting it, too," he mused.

"Oh, yeah?" Reed grinned at the challenge, chest puffing up a little as he laughed, "You're so on! Just try me!" He watched Elijah's lips as he dragged on his cigarette, absently biting the inside of his cheek. He didn't know why, but he really liked watching Elijah's mouth. 

Reed snatched the pack back, putting them back in his pocket with a snort. He tilted his head curiously at Elijah, cigarette hanging from his lips as he crossed his arms. He smirked playfully, asking, "So, what about your parents? I know your one dad is the freaking mayor of Gotham for like the last million years. What does your other dad do? Is he like a ninja spy or something? Is he the one that taught you to pick pockets? Oh! Do you know how to pick a lock? I can." He cleared his throat, adding with a shy smile, "Sorry, I'm just talking your ear off, huh. It's just you seem to know a lot about me and I don't really know anything about you."

My god, did he really did talk a lot, firing off question after question. Elijah raised an eyebrow, looking at Reed curiously. He certainly had to know something about Ed, didn't he? "Of course I know a lot, I like information." He shrugged, taking another drag off of his cigarette, laughing softly as he shrugged his shoulders. "My, my. You are a sheltered little thing, aren't you?"

Reed blinked, frowning a little when he got called sheltered. He wasn't fucking sheltered... was he? He had certainly never thought of himself that way. Sure, he was a good kid, but he did have his own little streak of mischief; like growing pot with Ivy down in the basement of his apartment building for the last few years. He had no idea how tame that was compared to his new companion.

"I'm surprised you don't know more about my dad," Elijah continued. "He's my father's chief of staff, so he's basically the one that handles everything behind the scenes. He didn't teach me how to pickpocket, learned that in the group home. And of course I know how to pick a lock, surely you have to know about my father's... _other_ business ventures. Father says knowing how to pick a lock is a necessary skill to have. Though know what's much more effective? Bolt cutters."

Now that Elijah was getting older, he was learning more and more how to take over the family business when his parents were ready to pass it on. He already had the respect from the other crime families based on who he was alone, so he was very certainly learning useful skills as the years went by. Uncle Zsasz even snuck him out a few times to join him on a couple jobs, delighting in watching him take out a few chumps that were dumb enough to cross his parents. Reed really had no idea just exactly who he was clinging to here.

"He worked with your parents at the GCPD a long time ago in forensics," Elijah continued. "But going to Arkham kinda ended that. And ya' know, the whole sending your dad to Blackgate for a little while thing." Elijah couldn't help but snort at the look on Reed's face, it was fucking priceless.

"Wait, hold the fuck up," Reed said, eyes narrowing as this new information came crashing over him. He had never known anything about this growing up. It couldn't be fucking true. Sure, Pops was a bit of a mess, but he wasn't a criminal. Never in a million years. Of course, it never occurred to him that Elijah was talking about Jim; Dad was too perfect to ever be mixed up in something like that. Pops, on the other hand, maybe he could see it happening.

"My Pops? Went to Blackgate? Harvey Bullock went to fucking Blackgate because of your dad? Why?" There went another onslaught of questions, stepping close, having to tilt his head up to glare at Elijah. He didn't want to call him a liar, but it was so hard to believe. He pulled hard on his cigarette, his heart pounding as his temper began to climb and... wow. They were really close right now. So close, he could feel his breath on his face. "You'd better not be fucking lying to me."

Elijah was quick to toss his cigarette to the ground, his lip curling up in a vicious little snarl, standing his ground. This was certainly unexpected. The little puppy had some teeth. Elijah could be a savage little thing when he needed to be, he knew his strengths and weaknesses well; brawn was not on his list of strengths, something Reed clearly had in spades. Elijah had to do some sort of working out, because god damn, those arms of Reed's... Damn.

"It would be wise to back the fuck up," Elijah warned, snorting that Reed thought it was Harvey, smirking for a moment. It felt kind of good to push his buttons, there was something just a bit more attractive about him when he was mad. 

Reed's face was starting to turn red, staring Elijah down. His eyes were such a pretty shade of blue. No, dammit, focus. "Fuck that. Tell me the truth! Are you fucking with me?"

"It wasn't Bullock. James Gordon went to Blackgate. If you really wanna know, why don't you just ask him? It's not my fault your daddies didn't tell you Jim's dirty little secrets!" Elijah scowled, again warning, "Now. Get out of my fucking face." 

Reed's eyes went wide with shock when Elijah claimed that it was his precious hero of a father, the great Jim Gordon, that had gone to Blackgate. No. His hands clenched into fists, not even flinching at Elijah's warning. He wasn't scared, nary a bit. Sure, Elijah had a few inches on him so his reach would be greater, but Reed was built like a little tank. He wasn't worried about pounding down this damn skinny jerk. He shook his head, gritting his teeth. The young Cobblepot had to be lying, it couldn't be true. It just fucking couldn't. "No, fuck you! No fucking way! You're a fucking liar!"

When Reed didn't back down, Elijah let out a little growl, thoroughly annoyed he was still in his personal space. He reached into his pocket and tugged out his knife, flicking it open and holding it up to Reed's throat, inching even closer and glaring down at him. Fuck, he smelled good. "Back. The fuck. Up," he snarled, pressing the knife a little harder against his throat to make it clear he wasn't fucking around.

Even with the knife out, Reed pressed forward, completely unafraid. He could feel the blade pinching as it threatened to break his skin, but it only pissed him off more. He was so fucking angry, he wasn't thinking clearly. He jabbed a finger in Elijah's chest, snapping, "Who the fuck do you think you are saying some shit like that!"

Elijah's eyes went wide for a moment, surprised that Reed still wouldn't back off. He was very brave, or just stupid; he wasn't sure which one right then. He watched as Reed slung off his back pack, throwing it to the ground. The knife went flying out of his hands when Reed suddenly shoved him, gritting his teeth.

"You think just because your stupid daddy is mayor you can run your mouth off and make shit up?!" Reed pushed him again, forcing Eli against one the support beams of the bleachers, his fist rolling up and socking Elijah right in the mouth. "Fuck you!"

Elijah's head snapped back, his lip splitting open from the strike. He hissed, running his tongue over his lower lip to try and stop the blood from dripping onto his clothes. 

Reed saw Elijah's tongue flicking out and licking at his bloody lip, panting. Damn, that was... That was something. He shook it off, trying to not let himself be distracted. 

Elijah was furious, but fuck, this was all kind of hot. The way Reed was breathing so hard, that blush creeping into his cheeks? Really hot. But calling his father stupid? That was a step too far.

"I'm not making up shit! Sorry to burst your bubble. Your daddy went to Blackgate. He was framed for that one. But Jim Gordon is no fucking saint." He laughed, loving the infuriated expression on Reed's face. He grabbed a fistful of that bright red hair and yanked his head down to knee him right in the jaw. Nobody called his father stupid, damn it, no matter how ridiculously attractive they were when they were angry.

And was that a mouthful of blood Reed just spit out? Fuck, that was really hot. God damn it, it was a little hard to focus here. Stupid ginger asshole, being all handsome and shit.

"No! No fucking way in hell!" Reed yelled back, wiping his mouth and his nose, smearing the blood across his face. Fuck, that bony ass knee hurt! He grabbed the young Cobblepot by his collar, socking him repeatedly in the stomach and elbowing him in the ribs. Fuck, it was hard to concentrate, not sure why he felt such a deep burning inside of him starting to build.

Neither one of them had noticed, but their scuffle had been spotted by a few fellow students. Hushed whispers abound, one of them hurried back towards the school to tell a teacher. Maybe fetch school security. Those two boys were really going at it.

Elijah wasn't really sure when this turned into a full blown brawl, but he was certainly getting the shit kicked out of him. He managed to land a few punches here and there, but he had been taught how to fight dirty and his knife was lost. 

"What fucking reason do I have to lie?" he shouted back, trying to steady himself but it was no use, Reed was stronger. Each blow Reed landed fucking hurt, but Elijah would have been lying if he said he wasn't also getting turned on by it.

Reed hissed as Elijah got another good lick in, more blood splattering from his nose, snatching him by his shoulders and hurling him down to the ground. He jumped on top of him, using his legs to pin Elijah's arms down by his sides, grabbing a handful of his black hair. 

Elijah's chest was heaving, panting heavily to catch his breath, though that became near impossible as Reed climbed on top of him. He was so confused, feeling the strangest mix of rage and sexual frustration. His body was certainly reacting to the feeling of the young Gordon's hips against his own, having to bite down on his lip to hold back a tiny little groan at the hand tangled in his hair. 

Reed had never been in such a physically compromising position before. The awkward sexual undertones of being on top of this good looking kid was not going unnoticed by him or his body. Was he turned on, angry, some crazy combination? He tried to ignore the rush of feelings, chest heaving with his rage as he snapped, "Jim Gordon is the best fucking man I've ever known. You don't know what the fuck you're talking about!"

Elijah looked Reed over, staring at his lips. He struggled to pull his arms free, digging his elbow in behind Reed's knee, just enough to free one arm. He quickly reached up and grabbed a fistful of that fiery red hair, rolling his eyes as Reed yelled some more. 

"Just shut the fuck up about your dad already," Elijah snapped, deciding that burning feeling building under his skin was much harder to ignore than his rage. Without another word, he yanked Reed in by his hair for a rough, feverish kiss, crashing their lips together desperately, his tongue sliding past his lips to brush against the other's. Fuck, he tasted so damn good. It felt electric, his whole body practically buzzing from the feeling of it. It was like nothing Elijah had ever felt before. It wasn't like it was his first kiss, but it was certainly the first kiss to ever feel like _this_.

Reed gasped as Elijah kissed him, his tongue so hot and slick as it met his own. He tasted so sweet, a mix of cigarettes and spearmint and blood, a flavor unlike anything Reed could have ever imagined. His whole body tensed up, in shock, swearing he could see fireworks as their lips locked together. He couldn't resist. His whole body was on fire and he was desperate for more. He groaned out loud, eyes fluttering closed, losing himself to Eli's hot mouth. His hips instinctively grinded down into Elijah's, kissing him back with unbridled passion.

Reed's pent up frustrations were fueling his desire, his kisses sloppy and rough, all tongue and teeth. He let go of Elijah's hair, running his hand over those beautiful cheekbones. He shifted, releasing Eli's other arm, groping at his chest and his stomach. Fuck, he had never even made it past first base before and he could see himself going all the way and hitting a home run right there under the bleachers with Elijah. He felt dizzy, his head overwhelmed and foggy. His cock was uncomfortably hard, pressing down against Eli frantically. He had no idea what he was doing, he just knew he wanted to keep going.

Elijah couldn't remember ever wanting something so badly in his life the way he was desperate for Reed in that moment. He couldn't remember a time where even a blowjob had felt this good, let alone a fucking kiss. And when the other's hips began to grind down against his own? Fucking hell, he couldn't have held in that moan if he wanted to. He couldn't even think, like his body was on autopilot as his hips began to eagerly rut back against Reed's, his now freed hand fumbling to slide under his shirt. Fuuuck, that ridiculous muscle tone was everywhere. His fingers explored the perfectly sculpted skin beneath, groaning shamelessly into their kiss.

Reed was moaning, unable to contain himself, as Elijah's hands roamed over him. It felt so nice, so new. He had never had anyone touch him like this, something so simple was driving him crazy. He was gasping for air between kisses, heart pounding in his ears as he realized Elijah was unbuckling his belt.

Eli could feel how hard Reed was through his jeans and that belt was a small obstacle that could be easily rectified. He had messed around with a couple of people before, so he at least had some idea of what he was doing. He had to break their kiss for a moment, needing to catch his breath, his neck craning and back arching when he felt Reed's teeth clamp down over his neck. 

Reed was panting and sucking hard at Elijah's skin, biting eagerly. He couldn't believe this was happening, all too eager as he felt Elijah's hand trying to work its way into his pants. Yes, fuck yes, he was going to touch him; touch him down _there_. He was mewling softly against Eli's throat, ready to beg if he had to. Reed had never wanted anything so terribly.

"Fuck," Elijah panted out, tugging at Reed's hair. The belt was undone, his other hand seconds away from sliding down into the other's pants when his eyes fluttered open for a moment, catching a glimpse of something coming towards them over Reed's shoulder.

"Fuck! Get off!" he hissed, furious at the interruption. He shoved Reed back enough so he could see the school security guard coming right towards them, quickly fumbling to get out from under him and back up onto his feet. 

"The fuck!" Reed snapped, his eyes flashing up to see security heading right towards them, realizing they were totally busted. "Oh, shit!" He jumped to his feet, trying to get his pants zipped and belt fastened as quickly as he could. They only had a few moments, they had to hurry.

"Fuck, where's my fucking knife?" Elijah snapped, looking around and quickly trying to figure out where it had gotten to.

Reed saw a faint glint on the ground, there! The knife! He knew if Elijah got caught with it, it may not matter who his daddy was. Without thinking, Reed snatched it up and shoved it down in his sock, way down into his boot. He grabbed his backpack from where he had thrown it, panicking as he saw one of the pockets was open but no sign of his product. Ivy would fucking kill him if he lost it! But he'd be equally dead if he was caught holding. 

In the process of searching for his knife, Elijah had noticed a few little baggies full of weed sitting right there on the ground in plain view. They must have come flying out when Reed threw his backpack. Elijah didn't think twice, quickly snatching them up and shoving them into his pocket. He knew full well he wouldn't get in that much trouble over it at home, but Reed... he had a feeling that wouldn't be the case. 

Elijah's eyes continued to search for the knife, and that's when he noticed the very top of the hilt glinting in Reed's boot. He only happened to see as Reed was crouched down looking for his missing weed and his pants leg had hitched up. He tilted his head for a moment. Now that they weren't touching, it was a little easier to remember that they had just been fighting.

There was no reason for Reed to be covering for him. It was almost... it was almost kind of sweet. But just as soon as that fluttering feeling popped up in his stomach, Elijah was being dragged out from underneath of the bleachers by the security guards.

"Can't wait for you two to explain yourselves to your parents," one of the guards said cheerfully as he and his partner pulled the boys out and began to lead them towards the school, "The principal will be calling them shortly."

Elijah was a fucking Cobblepot. He was not okay with these stupid little security guards putting their hands on him, especially after interrupting one of the far most thrilling experiences of his life. He yanked his arm away to rub at the few little marks left on his neck, managing to knock one of the little baggies in his pocket loose. 

Sticking to how his luck had been going that morning, the baggie did not go unnoticed. "Fuck," he muttered, tilting his head back and rolling his eyes with an exasperated groan. Before Reed could even consider owning up that it was his, Elijah looked over to the security guard. "I'll sell it to you dirt cheap if you keep your fucking mouths shut," he smirked, winking at Reed.

"Cute. Nice try, kid," the guard said, clearly annoyed. He gave Elijah a little push to keep him walking, gathering up the little bag of weed. 

Reed stared dumbly at Elijah, in a mix of bewilderment and awe. Did he seriously just try to sell his weed to that security guard? He couldn't believe it. This kid had some serious set of balls. And that little wink made him shiver. His new friend had totally covered for him when he could have easily ratted him out. But why? Hadn't they just been beating the shit out of each other?

It probably had something to do with whatever motivated Reed to hide his knife. He couldn't shake it, even his anger rolled back over him. All that shit he'd said about Jim! That little bastard! But then they had kissed, oh, wow, that kiss. Reed tried to adjust himself through his jeans, grumbling softly; walking with an erection was super uncomfortable.

Elijah laughed to himself, shaking his head as he and Reed were herded back to the school. This certainly wasn't his first trip to the principal's office, though he actually wasn't entirely sure he was going to get away with all of this at home. It was no secret how much his dad loathed Jim Gordon and he wouldn't be too happy that Elijah had been caught underneath his son.

Reed plopped down in the chair outside the principal's office once they arrived, a sick feeling churning in his stomach. He didn't know who was gonna be more pissed, Jim or Harvey. Ivy was always getting into trouble, always had, but not Reed. He was the good kid, the one who didn't skip class, who didn't fail classes, or get into fights and make out with the son of their corrupt mayor. He hung his head, dreading his parents' wrath.

Elijah took a seat beside Reed, crossing one of his long legs over the other as he waited for his parents to show up, only mildly panicking, though it didn't show at all. He actually couldn't help but laugh a bit as looked Reed over, his tongue running over the little scab that had formed on his lip. 

"So, great tour by the way," Elijah whispered, fishing into his pocket and tugging Reed's phone out of it. He may have snagged it on their way inside. He put his number into it quickly before handing it back, flashing a cheeky little smirk. "I believe you owe me ten bucks. But I'll settle for picking up where we left off later."

Reed glanced sideways at Elijah, huffing as he snatched his phone back. Damn! He hadn't even noticed, robbed again! He was still a little angry and ignored how impressed he was. He scowled, whispering back, "Pick up where we left off? You mean, all of that stuff we did..." His cheeks were blushing, embarrassed, looking down at his feet. "I don't know what I was doing, but it was..." _Amazing, hot, wonderful, incredible_. He cleared his throat. "Look, I'm still fucking mad at you!" he hissed, sticking a finger in Elijah's chest. "You think I'm just going to forget all that shit you said?"

Elijah's eyes narrowed, letting out a little scoff and shaking his head, shoving Reed's hand away from his chest. If there was one thing Elijah didn't handle well, it was any sort of rejection when he was making a genuine attempt to be nice. He wasn't very good at it, but he had tried. Reed acting like he hadn't been grinding on top of him so desperately sure as fuck felt like rejection, leaving his blood boiling again. "Whatever. I didn't fucking lie, asshole," he spat, folding his arms over his chest and moving a few chairs down, ready to take another swing.

"Yeah, sure. Whatever," Reed snorted, staring down at the floor. His blood was still hot, from the fighting and the blood and even now, he couldn't forget how good Elijah had tasted. He was about to delete Elijah's number out of his phone, but hesitated. He stopped himself, sticking his phone back in his pocket with a huff. Well, he had to get his knife back to him eventually. Yup, totally why he was keeping his phone number.

Both boys sat in a tense silence, refusing to speak. The temperature in the office was certain to rise a few degrees by the way they were both quietly steaming away, waiting for their parents to arrive.


	2. Class Dismissed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The repercussions of what Reed and Elijah have done are harshly felt when their parents come to get them from school.

Over at the Gotham City Police Department, Harvey Bullock's morning was off to a rough start. Three murders, four robberies, multiple cases of vandalism, and a man suspected of sexually assaulting a chicken. Things were not going well; and apparently not so great for the chicken. When the phone rang and it was the principal from Gotham High calling about one of his children, he groaned out loud and fell into cussing. He rubbed at his temples, his brow creased with deep worry lines from years of dealing with stupid shit just like this. His once vivid red hair had turned into a silvery blonde, a few flashes of color still remaining in his scruffy beard. Time hadn't been exactly kind to Harvey, but his eyes were still bright as ever, narrowed now into angry slits as he listened to the principal prattling on. 

"Look, sir. Just tell me. What has she done now?" he demanded, patience thin, shaking his head.

Damn girl couldn't even make it through the first fucking day of school. He managed to catch Jim's eye from across the bull pen, waving at him to come over, mouthing the word 'school' and making strangling motions with his hands. He loved both of their kids very much, but Ivy was a damn handful. Why was their little lady in trouble this time? 

Jim Gordon scowled as he approached, his face suddenly weary with frustration. He was still trim, fit, still having taken great care of himself over the years. The only thing that really betrayed his age was the graying of his hair and when he got upset; like right now. It was only the first day; they still had the rest of the school year to make it through. While Harvey was drowning in crazy cases, he was trying to keep his head above a sea of paperwork. The transition to commissioner was long and full of bureaucratic nightmares, one right after the other.

Harvey's eyes widened with shock, having to repeat what he'd heard, "Wait, you said _Reed_? Reed is down in your office?!" He looked up at Jim as he approached, locking eyes as he continued, "And he got in a fight with Elijah Cobblepot?! Shit. I mean shoot. No, I definitely meant _shit_. We'll be right down."

Across town, the honorable mayor Oswald Cobblepot was hard at work, engrossed in a budget meeting for the city's transportation system. Time was certainly beginning to wear on Oswald, a little bit of white peppered into his dark black hair, a little bit of pudge around his waist and thighs from years of Ed's cooking. He was still as distinguished as ever, maybe even more so these days. Today was full to the brim with meeting after meeting with various committees, barely having a moment to breathe, let alone time to take a call from the school. After the third call back to back, he realized he had no choice but to answer.

"Children," he laughed in way of explanation, motioning for Edward Nygma, his chief of staff, to join him outside. 

Edward held the door open for his husband, following him out into the hallway. He was still thin, almost gaunt now, gray streaking over his temples with a few little wrinkles peeking out from the corners of his eyes. He shut the door behind them, patiently waiting as Oswald finally answered his phone with a huffy hello; it was not their first rodeo with a call from a principal about Elijah. 

As the principal explained what happened, including the fact that Elijah had been caught with weed and tried to sell it to one of the security guards, joking or not, Oswald's eyes narrowed. "Sir, I can assure you, our son is _not_ a drug dealer," he replied, rubbing a hand over his face. They really didn't have time for this today. "Did you say he got into a fight with _Reed Gordon_? Did he win...? Never mind. Do we need to come get him? Ugh, fine. We're coming."

Edward had been a bit alarmed with he heard the words 'fight' and 'Gordon', the years only having caused his grudge against Jim to fester further. He frowned, trying to catch more of what had happened but Oswald's side of the conversation was not as informative as he would have liked.

Oswald hung up the phone, quickly excusing themselves from the meeting and explaining everything to Edward as they made their way to the car. He was fuming the entire ride, knowing full well his son wasn't some petty little drug dealer. No way. And why was he getting into fights with Jim and Harvey's kid? What the fuck?

It wasn't long before they pulled into the school, making their way inside quickly, spotting Elijah sitting in a chair with his pissed off little pout. Oswald's blood began to boil when he saw the dried blood and a few bruises on his son's face, quickly making his way over to check on his darling boy. He took his chin in his hand, tilting his head to get a better look at the damage. Was that... a hickey on his neck. 

Reed looked up as he saw a short fellow with funny hair and tall, thin man come into the office. He had seen the mayor on TV before, surprised how tiny he actually was. He tried to avoid any eye contact, but he could feel that tall guy glaring at him so hard he thought he might burn a hole through him.

Edward curled his lip at the young Gordon, averting his eyes and watching Oswald fuss over their son. The injuries on his beloved Eli made him furious, but he was satisfied to see that Gordon's son hadn't escaped unscathed. That at least made him smirk a little.

Elijah huffed, swatting Oswald's hand away, still absolutely furious. "Stop. I'm fine," he spat out.

Edward's eyes flickered back to Elijah as he snapped at his father. Ed put a firm hand on Elijah's shoulder, his voice stern as he said, "Fine? Getting caught selling drugs and getting into a fight on your first day of public school? Not so 'fine'. And _marijuana_? Really?" He sounded disappointed. 

Elijah was far better at being a spoiled little brat with his father. Oswald was overly doting, constantly fussing with Elijah's clothes, his hair, everything. Nothing he did ever really made his father back off, so it was easy to get away with just about anything. But with his dad? Not so much. Ed had always been an equally loving parent, but he was much more firm than Oswald. 

Eli hated that disappointed tone in Ed's voice, actually feeling bad for a split second. He let out a heavy sigh, his gaze dropping to the floor for a moment. Oswald couldn't help but smile a little bit. Ed was always so good with this stuff. Where Oswald would usually bend, Edward would never budge. He definitely the disciplinarian between the two, whereas Oswald rarely had the heart to punish their sweet child. 

"Sorry," Elijah muttered quietly, those bright blue eyes peeking up at Ed. "I found the weed, honest. I figured finders, keepers." 

Edward sighed, scolding softly, "We'll discuss this further at home, young man." It was actually easy for him to believe that Elijah had found drugs laying around; this was Gotham High after all. He hadn't picked up on the hickey just yet. Even after all these years, there were still certain things that managed to escape Ed's attentions. 

Edward placed a hand on his husband's waist, glancing around for the principal. He wanted to get this over with and head back home. He still had several more meetings to attempt rescheduling in light of this unfortunate interruption. 

Harvey and Jim came into the office then, Harvey's eyes angry and only more pissed when he saw Oswald and Ed. It had been a long time and he had definitely enjoyed not seeing those two. He did enjoy that Oswald had gained some weight, especially after all the cracks he and Ed had made about his own size over time. 

Jim couldn't believe it was Reed sitting there in the principal's office for fighting. From the moment they had taken their kids in, Ivy had been the troublemaker, Reed always the nice kid who got along with everyone. He was none too happy to see his boy sitting there all bloodied up, much less having to see their city's mayor and chief of staff. 

When Edward saw Jim and Harvey, he said nothing, but his eyes went dark; it was a subtle change, one that only Oswald noticed. 

Harvey exchanged a glance with Jim, ignoring the others for now, setting his sights on Reed. All the blood made him so fucking pissed, but he was secretly happy to see that Cobblepot kid had taken a good beating. After making sure nothing was broken and Reed was okay, Harvey lightly smacked him upside the back of his head, fussing, "The fuck you thinking, you damn putz! Your first fucking day of school?!" 

"Ow!" Reed whined, scowling. He was about to point a finger of Elijah, try to explain that punk had started it running his mouth, but he said nothing. What if... What if it was true? He couldn't even bring himself to look at Jim, keeping his eyes locked on his feet. "Look, I'm sorry. We were just... We were just messing around." 

Jim noticed pretty quickly that his son wouldn't look directly at him, his head tilting a bit as he put a hand on Reed's shoulder, giving a little squeeze. "You alright?" he asked. 

Before Reed could even answer, Elijah was laughing, shaking his head with a snort. "Oh yeah, we were definitely just _messing around_!" He was loud enough that Jim and Harvey certainly could hear him. He was so hell bent on getting the last word in that he forgot his own parents were standing right there, quickly staring back down at his shoes. Maybe Ed wouldn't catch what he had meant. Sometimes he didn't notice that sort of thing. 

Oswald figured it out immediately, letting out a frustrated little sigh. He shot Elijah a warning look. This was not the time nor place for everything to click and for Ed to be pushed over the edge. As long as Edward didn't figure it out before they left, everyone would leave in one piece. Ed would absolutely lose it if he figured out what their son had been doing with that Gordon kid, whatever it was that had earned him that little welt on his neck. 

Honestly, Oswald didn't really want to know, either. He was so grateful for his darling husband's oblivious nature with certain social cues, especially when he saw that familiar darkness still hanging around in his eyes. 

Edward frowned, the hidden meaning going right over his head for the moment, looking quizzically over at Oswald. Oh, well. They'd talk in the car, he was sure. He was eager to leave as well, sternly commenting, " _Messing around_? Elijah, this is quite serious." 

"It was just a fight," Elijah said. "It's not like I stabbed him, even if he was being a real asshole!" Elijah made sure to say the last part loud enough for Reed to hear, noticing that he was getting quite the angry stare down from Jim and a few dirty looks from Harvey, too. He just smirked back at them, not intimidated in the slightest. 

Reed couldn't believe this guy! His face turned bright red, shaking a little. That fucking prick! He was up on his feet in a second, ignoring his dad's hand on his shoulder, snarling, "Oh, my God! Can't you just shut the fuck up!?" 

Elijah was doing his best to obey that warning look his father had given him, but when Reed jumped up to get in his face again, he couldn't make himself back down. He hopped right back onto his feet, taking a threatening step closer. "Fucking make me, sheltered little crybaby," he snarled, feeling his father's hand grab his arm and drag him back a few steps. 

"Want your ass beat again, you spoiled brat?!" Reed snapped when Elijah stepped towards him, fuming at being called a crybaby. He didn't make it far, pulled backwards with his arm twisted around into his back courtesy of Harvey. 

"Hey!" Harvey snapped. "Calm your shit the fuck down!" He bit back a small gasp as he got a good, close look at his son's neck. That was a fucking hickey! No fucking way. Harvey was ever the great detective, starting to put it all together. Oh, fuck no. He nodded at Jim to look, his face mirroring Harvey's scowl. Deal with that nightmare later. "Watch your fucking mouth, kiddo! You're in enough goddamn trouble." 

Edward glared at the young redhead, not liking how he jumped up at his son one bit. He wasn't opposed to kill Jim Gordon's son, just maybe not here with all these witnesses. 

Reed struggled against his Pops' arm, but he was still no match for him. He glared at Elijah, hated how smug he looked over there, completely untouchable. Completely and totally beautiful. Dammit! He shook his head, growling back, "But he's the asshole! Not me!" 

"Fucking language!" Harvey reprimanded again, groaning. "Look, you're both assholes, happy?" 

"Knock it off, _now_ ," Oswald warned, hissing in his son's ear. He looked over at the young redhead, ready to snap his neck for trying to intimidate his son. 

Jim was getting to snap on the young Cobblepot himself, unsure of whether or not if it was for hitting or leaving that hickey; probably both. "The both of you need to knock it the hell off before you get yourselves expelled." he said sternly, ignoring the death glare it earned him from Edward. God, he hadn't missed them at all. What an awful little family they were. And he had to now worry about his well-behaved, angel of a son Reed getting tangled up with that little delinquent? The thought alone terrified him. 

Reed hissed at the pain, glancing back at his Pops and trying not to resist. He knew there was no way he could break out of this hold. He was strong, but Harvey was a damn bull. Reed cringed when he heard the stern tone of his Dad's voice, fuck, Jim sounded so pissed. He bowed his head, trying to calm down. He had never been in trouble like this before, he felt horrible. 

Thankfully, the secretary had finally appeared and called out to both families, letting them know to follow her back to the principal's office. Elijah and Reed ended up walking a few steps behind their parents, Elijah glanced around, making sure no one was able to see him. He quickly sucker punched him right in the jaw, smirking as they stepped into the office, knowing Reed wouldn't hit him back in front of the principal. 

Reed grunted as Elijah's surprise punch caught him, his head snapping to the side and his temper flaring up. What a fucking prick! His hands clenched into fists, completely helpless to act. He mouthed 'fuck you' and flipped him off, the most he could manage without drawing any unwanted attention. 

Everybody took a seat, the parents all introducing themselves. The principal didn't waste a moment, getting right into it. "So, gentleman, I know I told you over the phone that the boys got into a fight, but there was a bit more to it than that," he began to explain, turning the screen of his computer screen so that they could see. "It looks like a couple of other students recorded the fight and it's already making its rounds on social media. We're doing what we can to track down which students have it recorded, but it's taking some time." 

Reed sighed miserably. The video was already on the internet? They were so fucked. 

Without much more warning, the principal hit play. Whoever had recorded the video was standing close enough to see and hear everything; their argument, the sounds of each blow connecting and the worst part, their desperate little teenage groans as they were grinding away on the screen. 

Oswald couldn't help but gasp at what he saw, his eyes wide in shock, unable to believe what he was seeing; his perfect baby, he and Eddie's pride and joy, pinned down underneath a Gordon and moaning like a little hussy. He glanced over to his husband, able to see that dark look building, about to boil over. "Shit," he said quietly, putting his hand on Edward's knee, giving it a firm little squeeze, trying to keep him calm. 

Elijah's face was bright red, actually embarrassed that his parents were seeing him like that. It was one thing that they might have been told what happened, but it was an entirely different ballpark that they were seeing him like that. 

It was only made worse when seeing the recording reminded him exactly how electric it felt when their lips had crashed together, how Reed's mouth had tasted like cigarettes and peppermint and how it had set his body on fire when he had felt his hands groping him and his mouth savagely marking up his neck. Fuck, the thought of those brief few minutes had Eli squirming in his chair, feeling his cock getting hard beneath his jeans all over again. 

Reed slowly began to sink down in his seat. He cringed, wondering if it was possible to die of fucking embarrassment. His cheeks were blushing as bright as his hair, biting his lip hard as he tried to look elsewhere. But, fuck, once the video got to their first kiss and all that followed after? Reed couldn't stand to tear his eyes away. He could still taste Elijah's lips, feel his hands roaming over his body, dipping down into his pants... He shifted awkwardly, trying to ignore how turned on he was just thinking about it. He dared to glance over at Elijah, his heart pounding hard. 

Just looking at that stupid pretty bastard made his stomach flutter. Fuck. 

Jim was none too happy himself, grabbing Harvey's hand a squeezing it hard. Fuck, why did Elijah know so fucking much? And who did he think he was to go telling Reed about Blackgate? Or hinting that he knew even more? Fuck. He wasn't ready to have that talk with Reed yet. He only got angrier as he saw the two boys going at it on the screen, having to look away. 

"Enough. We get it." Jim finally barked, glaring over at the Cobblepot family seated next to them, eyes narrowed at Elijah. He was trouble and he didn't want that little shit near his boy ever again. 

Harvey rolled his eyes, muttering out a long string of cuss words as he watched the two kids go at each other on screen. He squeezed Jim's hand back, sighing. Well, wasn't this just peachy. His kid swapping tongue with the little Cobblepot monster. Blackgate, ffffffuck. He knew Reed was going to have questions for him and Jim, lots of questions he knew neither one of them wanted to have to answer. They had spent so long trying to keep Reed safe; had that been a mistake? He wasn't sure, his attention darting over to a strange noise in the office. 

It was the sound of the arm of the chair Edward was sitting in breaking under his grip. He was holding onto the chair so tightly that it cracked. Edward had been deadly silent as the video played, barely breathing. His eyes were dark, face starting to sweat. 

_Look at that little boy, look at what he's doing to our son, look at how much he hurt him, look!_

Edward hadn't heard that voice in so long, he was completely entranced by it. He felt Oswald's hand at his knee, but it seemed so far away. _Do you see all the blood? Do you see what they were doing? Do you realize they might have fucked if someone hadn't stopped them? Another Gordon fucking someone you love?_

Oswald was the only one who really knew what was happening as the arm of that chair snapped, knowing that distant look in his husband's eyes far too well. It had been a very, very long time since he had last seen it, but he knew that there was a very, very good chance this was not going to end well. "Eddie, why don't we step out-" 

"Keep your delinquent little brat away from our son, Oswald," Jim snapped, too angry to really consider what kind of fight he could be starting. All he knew was that he was ready to strangle that smug little prick. 

Edward leapt from his chair, reality breaking away as he heard Jim Gordon's voice, insulting his precious child. That was the last fucking straw. 

"Don't you ever speak about my son that way!" Edward roared, right in Jim's face, chest bumping against his as he completely began to break down. "Your son better keep his filthy hands away my child, or I swear your entire family will regret it! Do you understand me?! All of you, stay away from him!" 

Before Oswald even had a chance to get Edward out of there, Jim had to open his mouth. Fuck. Oswald didn't even have a second to think before Ed was on his feet, in Jim's face and completely unhinged. He had to admit, despite the circumstances, it was so sexy seeing his husband defend their son so fiercely. He knew it was no use to jump in right in, so he simply stayed put, keeping a close eye on them. 

Jim was absolutely furious when Ed got right up in his face, not backing down in the slightest. He was doing his best to keep his cool, but when that lanky freak began threatening his family's safety, that was all he was going to take. "Don't you dare threaten my kids!" he snapped, bringing his fist back and hitting Ed hard across the face. 

Edward's glasses flew off, grunting. He swung back, managing to nail Jim back in the mouth. It quickly became turned into a rather violent fight, the two of them trading blow after blow. 

Reed was up immediately, yelling, "Hey! Dad! Shit! You two! Stop it!" He tried to wiggle in between them, using his sheer size to serve as a buffer. 

Harvey quickly found himself wedged into a corner when Reed jumped into the fray, his kid's empty chair blocking him in. He tried to get up, but the damn office was so small and cramped with all of them in it. "Goddammit!" he snapped, struggling to free himself. Trapped by some fucking chairs. If this had been ten years ago, he could have just jumped over them, but his jumping days were long behind him. He knew Jim was a tough guy, always had been, but that Ed had that crazy man strength. 

Reed managed to wedge himself in front of Jim, putting his hands up to block Edward's punches, but a thin elbow found its way to his face, cracking into his cheekbone. He saw stars, the whole room whirling around him. 

Jim wasn't exactly sure where along the line Reed had gotten himself in between them, but when he saw his son take that elbow and stumbled back, he shoved forward and went to hit Edward harder. 

Elijah had never seen this side of his dad. Ed was always so put together, almost always one to calculate how to destroy someone rather than physically unleash on them like this. That look on his face was terrifying if he was being honest, he felt a chill down to his bones from seeing him this way. He was almost certain Ed was going to kill Jim. He stayed back in his seat for a moment, scared to step in at first. 

But then Reed had to shove himself right in the middle of them. God damn it, that stupid boy had no idea what he was getting himself into. When he saw his dad's elbow hit that brave, stupid ginger's face, knocking him back, he felt a sort of rage build up in him. Even if they had been fighting like crazy, Elijah didn't like seeing anyone else lay a finger on him. Without a second thought, he hopped up out of his chair, yanking his arm away when his father tried to stop him. 

"Come on, Dad. Enough, stop!" Elijah tried to reason, catching a blow from Jim as he got closer. Fuck, that sucked. But then he saw his dad's face, that distant look in his eye as he prepared to hit Reed again. Elijah shoved Jim out of the way into the principal's desk, jumping in front of Reed just in time to feel Ed's fist come down hard right around the bridge of his nose. 

Reed was dizzy from the hit, watching the next few moments in slow motion. Edward had reached his arm back, another punch sure to land with a hurting, but someone else was there in front of him. Was that... Was that Elijah?! 

Fuck, that hurt, Eli's nose immediately bleeding, eye already starting to bruise and swell from the force of it. It knocked him to the ground easily, his hand coming up to hold his face, his head spinning. But he made sure he stayed in front of Reed, looking up at Ed with pleading eyes. "Both of you, just fucking stop," he snapped, blood pouring out of his nose like a damn faucet through his hand, spilling all over down onto his face and chest. 

Harvey had nearly lost it when he saw Edward hit Reed and pulled out his gun right then and there. The struggle went on between the men, and Harvey with his damn chair, until everything suddenly stopped. His eyes went wide with shock when he saw Eli taking that nasty blow from his own father, blood everywhere. Motherfucker. 

Edward felt sick to his stomach, snapping back to this sick reality, his vision skewed as if all the colors from the room were draining away and all he could see was the red of the blood pouring out of his dear son's nose. No, no, no! It was an accident! _Look at what we did..._ His heart was breaking into a thousand pieces. He would have never hurt his son, he loved Elijah more than anything in the whole wide world. He couldn't believe he had lost control like that. 

Jim Gordon, it was all fucking Jim's fault, he immediately thought. There was something about that man that brought out the monster in him. 

Reed was in complete shock. Why, why did Elijah do that! It seemed to send Ed into an almost catatonic state, his face turning quite pale. At any rate, he wasn't trying to hit Reed anymore and he reached down, trying to help Elijah up to his feet. He tried to control the flow of blood, getting more on him than actually helping. "Fuck, are you okay?" 

Elijah's head was spinning, his face throbbing, trying to figure out what the fuck was going on. What was wrong with his dad that made him snap like that? And why the fuck did he push himself in the way to keep Reed safe? He had been such an asshole, God damn it. When Reed tried to get him up and help with the bleeding, Elijah actually took his hand instead of immediately shoving him away. 

When Reed touched him, despite the pain and how freaked out he was, he felt those damn sparks again just holding his hand for a moment to get back into his feet. "Yeah, I'm fine," he murmured out, lying through his teeth, wincing when the redhead touched his nose to try and help. 

Reed breathed in deeply for those few moments he got to hold Elijah's hand. He could feel the same magic between them, genuinely concerned for him. 

Once Elijah's head stopped spinning so much, he gave Reed a little push away. "I'm still fuckin' mad at you," Elijah reminded him, seeing his parents hurrying to his side. Elijah was quick to move closer to Oswald, still a little freaked out by Ed. 

Reed was hurt when Eli shoved him, but dutifully retreated back to his own parents' side. What a fucking mess. He didn't know what the hell was wrong with that Ed guy, his mind only venturing to guess 'a lot'. 

Edward hastily reached into his pocket, grabbing his handkerchief. He tried to offer it over, reaching out for Elijah. "Oh, God," he heaved, almost in tears over what he had done, horribly upset, his voice hoarse, "Elijah, I am so, so very sorry. Please, I'm so sorry." 

Eli flinched a little as Edward reached out for him, though he felt terrible, hearing the remorse in Ed's voice. "It's fine dad. Just, Daddy will take care of it." There was the biggest sign he wasn't fine; he only ever called Oswald 'daddy' when he was upset. 

Oswald felt terrible, knowing it wasn't his Eddie that hit their precious son. He let out soft sigh, taking the handkerchief from Ed when Elijah wouldn't. He gave his husband a sympathetic look, mouthing 'It'll be okay' to him. He wrapped an arm around Elijah, keeping him close as he worked on getting the bleeding to stop. 

Edward locked eyes with his husband, certain that his soul had died and left his body. He had seen the way Eli flinched from him, hearing him say 'daddy'. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd called Oswald that. It all felt like a knife twisting in his gut, a sensation he had actually experience with and could compare. This actually seemed worse. Ed had never felt shame or regret like this, nauseous and miserable. What if... What if Eli was afraid of him now? 

Memories of all of the abuse he had endured as a child came washing over him, trying to steady himself as his body trembled. _It's just like how you were afraid of your father..._ It was everything Edward could do to ignore that little whisper in the back of his mind. No, he thought stubbornly, I am not him. I am not my father. This was an accident. A terrible, terrible accident. He swore he heard the voice laugh, shaking his head. 

Ed held onto Oswald's arm, trying to cling to something to keep his mind grounded in reality. 

Harvey finally managed to get around the damn chair, holding onto Jim and assessing his damaged face. "My hero," he murmured softly. Of course Jim would go crazy to defend their family. His dedication to them was all just part of why Harvey loved him. He squeezed Jim's arm affectionately, eyes cold as he looked over at the Cobblepot family. He jerked his head for Reed to move his ass, grunting, "Yeah, I think we're all fucking done here, all right. You don't press charges, we won't. Don't wanna have to see your fucking faces again in court." He stared at Oswald, knowing he called the shots in that family, demanding, "Deal?" 

Oswald narrowed his eyes at Harvey when he called out with the deal, but all things considered, it was probably for the best. "Deal," He sighed, pulling the handkerchief back to check on the bleeding every few minutes, glad to see it was slowing down. "One condition; keep your kid the fuck away from our son," he added, this time tone serious. 

"Fucking likewise," Harvey retorted back at Oswald's caveat. He kept Reed and Jim close, his big arms curled around them both protectively. 

The principal finally piped up, popping up from the desk where he had been cowering, telling both families that their children were suspended for two weeks. He also begged them never to show up at the same time ever again. Oswald just rolled his eyes, saying he would make sure the damages were covered. And with that, they were on their way, Oswald keeping an arm around Elijah, keeping him close, knowing he was shaken up. He also kept a firm hold of Ed's hand, knowing he wouldn't be taking this well now that other Ed gone. This was going to be a rough two weeks. 

Harvey waited patiently as the Cobblepots left first, warning his son in a low voice, "You heard the man. Stay away from that kid. It also goes without saying you're fucking grounded for every bit of those two weeks." 

Reed hung his head down, saying nothing. Two weeks, he was going to miss the first two weeks of school. Fuck! He followed his parents out when they finally left, trying to avoid any chance of running in the Cobblepots again. As they all piled in the car, Reed plopped down in the back seat and stared out the window. He caught a glimpse of a black limo pulling away, sighing. He thought back to all that stuff Elijah had said about Jim, a sliver of doubt hanging over him now. 

"Dad, Pops?" Reed asked softly, frowning. "That stuff Elijah said about Blackgate. None of that is true... Right?" 

Harvey sighed, long and exasperated. He looked over at Jim as he cranked the car. They both knew the boy deserved the truth, less he started poking around and discover any of the other various skeletons in their closet they weren't ready for him to know about yet. Harvey glanced up at his son through the reflection of the rear view mirror, saying, "Look. When we get home... We're all gonna have a long talk. About how you're gonna spend these two weeks of suspension, I see lots of housework in your future, toothbrush scrubbing type shit! We'll figure out how you're gonna make up all this missed school, and yeah." He sighed again. "We're gonna talk about Blackgate."


End file.
